Rent Lottery Ticket

[BeckBecka]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 1:30pm

I wanted to bring my little sister and two of her friends to see Rent this thursday. We were thinking of doing the lottery tickets for the 8PM show. What are the chances of all four of us getting tickets to a thursday night show?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 1:59pm

Summer's a busy time for most lottos. From what I've heard recently, there's been around 100 people for lotto thru the week and more on weekends. There's always a chance but I wouldn't count on it. Even if you all put your names in for two tickets, the chances of two of you being called are slim. I'd try it, but have a back-up and be willing to try TKTS if you lose.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:21pm

Wow, 100 during the week? I did this Saturday's matinee lotto, which I'd say was near 80, and I've walked past recent Thursday lottos that neared 60-70. Has it really been around 100--have I been missing something? (Yikes, I hope Wednesday matinees are still OK.)

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:22pm

I went to last wednesdays matinee. Around 60 people. Half seemed to get seats

[bella cantato]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:34pm

If you do, try to put your name in at the very end. At least the times I've been there, the lotto people haven't been very good at mixing up the names. The last time I was there, a family all put their names in and about 5 out of the 6 of them there got called.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:35pm

I hate when that happens, you are so right though, that happened a couple of times the last time I tried at Rent. I usually like putting mine in early or late into the draw

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:51pm

Hmm, interesting. Yes, on Saturday I did see a girl running to the Nederlander at a minute to 12 as I was going there to hear the names. She quickly wrote her name down, they put the card in, and she was the first one called. I thought that was a little suspicious, although I had been there at 11:30 and was called second. Now I'm torn about when to put my name in on Wednesday...

[bella cantato]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 4:46pm

Hmmm... are you going with a friend? Bc then one of you could do the beginning and one could do the end.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 4:48pm

Haha, I like you're thinking. Then again, at the rate the lottery gets drawn, you might as well be right behind each other and have them pick you both right after the other cause they can't seperate them well enough.

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 4:50pm

for an 8 oclock show what time is lotto? thanks so much. i think me and my friend may try for it sometime this week.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 5:18pm

One of my favorite lotto stories is when a family of four all got in to see Wicked - and the box office people happened to let the young daughter draw all the names! :-P

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 5:21pm

"for an 8 oclock show what time is lotto? thanks so much. i think me and my friend may try for it sometime this week."

For 8pm shows, they begin taking names at 5:30pm. Names are drawn at 6pm.

"Hmmm... are you going with a friend? Bc then one of you could do the beginning and one could do the end."

Heh, not a bad idea...aside from the fact that I'm making the trip alone tomorrow. I have friends! I promise! Just...none that care to see Rent. I guess if I lose I'll just try to get SRO (the Talkin' Broadway page with rush info doesn't say anything about Rent having to be sold out to buy an SRO ticket--can you really just go up and get SRO if the theater is about 80%? I just wonder now if anyone has tried SRO for a performance like that and been turned away).

Updated On: 7/25/06 at 05:21 PM

[bella cantato]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 12:05pm

I don't know if you'll get this message in time, but I believe (and I could be making this up) that they do student rush tickets for the rear mezz or something in addition to lotto? Maybe that's select performances. But I would check that out too.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:42pm

After all the lotto names were called yesterday, they did say something like "Today's discount is $45 best available"--is that a "consolation" thing they tell the losers of every lotto? They didn't mention standing room or any rear mezz student rush as an option, just that discount (in addition the standard "Don't run away, people do drop out"...luckily I did stick around after I lost and was able to get a ticket from a drop-out).

Updated On: 7/27/06 at 02:42 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:46pm

"One of my favorite lotto stories is when a family of four all got in to see Wicked - and the box office people happened to let the young daughter draw all the names! :-P"

Actually, the box office doesn't run the lotto. The company management of Wicked does. And I'm very surprised they did this. They are more strict at Spelling Bee.

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 4:55pm

They are more strict at Spelling Bee. How So? Also I've been to Rent when it's a sold out show and they ONLY sell standing room when it is sold out. I went back another time and won the lotto and after the lotto the guy said them discounted their 95 dollar seats to like 40. So the best advice I can give you is that if you lose the lottery don't get discouraged you might still be able to get pretty cheap seats. although they won't be front row.

[SpellRENT777]

Posted: 7/30/06 at 4:36pm

I went to the Rent lottery this past friday and won. We got there at 5:30 and put our name in at about 5:40. We walked around the city and came back at about 5:58. There were about 70 people there. I was one of the last names called and got a great second row pretty much center seat. There was a mother who was called before us, and her daughter was called after us. It was great to win on my first RENT lottery try, and it was a great show. I have noticed that each time I entered close to last, I was picked. That happened with DRS and wicked, but not with spelling bee. But, this time, we only entered with 20 minutes left for people to enter, so many people probably did. I say go to all the lotteries you want to. You have the same chance as anyone else. If you lose everything, rush over to TKTS!